PRESENTER FOR JULY IS;  Keith Taylor – “Pots and  a Different Approach to Staging”.

Cactus of the Month: Epiphytic Cactus.
Succulent of the Month: Bromeliaceae (other than Tillandsia).

Our speaker Keith Taylor began collecting cacti and succulents in 1991 and then began creating unique containers to show off his specimens in 2008. He has developed a different style of staging by combining plant, pot, rocks and topdressing to create award winning compositions.  Keith will bring plants from his collection and talk about how to combine these elements to create eye catching presentations. He will also demonstrate how to stage and the newly staged plant will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Keith may bring some of his fantastic pots for sale as well.

Keith Taylor began collecting caudiciform succulents in 1991 after seeing a large Cyphostemma juttae in the ground at a local botanical garden. “I was drawn to size and grotesque shape of the trunk”. The Cyphostemma he saw is also the 1st succulent he purchased. His collection is more than 800 plants. He grows in plastic pots and raised beds. Keith prefers his succulents to look like habitat specimens rather than cultivated plants. He grows them hard, meaning limited water, little to no feeding and hot sun to give them the look of collected plants.  His favorites include Cyphostemma, Fockea, Fouquieria, Pachypodium, Pachycormus, Tylecodon, Othonna, Pelargonium, Mesembs and Euphorbia. Roughly 5% of his collection is tuberous rooted cacti, Lophophora, Peniocereus, Turbinicarpus, Mammillaria, Leuchtenbergia and Ariocarpus.

In 2008, Keith began creating pots to show off his plants. He believes the pot should compliment, not distract. The main focus should be the succulent. If the pot is too ornate, colorful, or shiny, it draws your eye toward the pot rather than the succulent. Also proportion plays a roll. The container needs to be the right width and depth to look balanced. For example if the succulent is placed in the center of the container surrounded by colorful stones it will look artificial and awkward. Rocks and topdressing add to complete the presentation. His pottery is sought after by C&S collectors as well as bonsai artists due to the natural look of the containers

The photos chosen for the lecture were selected because of the maturity of the specimen as well as the plant presentation. They show how you can highlight the plant and not take away from it’s beauty with addition of the right container and/or rock placement.  Keith has always had the “eye” for what looked good. Whether it’s in his profession as a Pedorthist (design and manufacture of footwear for medical purposes), photographer, cook or potter.

Keith sells his work at C&S clubs and shows, bonsai clubs, online through Facebook, Instagram, and his website. He accepts custom orders and ships worldwide.

Keith’s website is: http://potterybykitoi.weebly.com/
Keith’s Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kitoi/